Staff Achievements

Derozio Award Ceremony- 92nd Association of Anglo-Indian Schools

The culmination of the four day 92nd Anglo Indian Principals’ Conference held in Bishop Cotton Boys’ School was marked by a prestigious valedictory Awards ceremony. The Derozio awards, which was instituted by the Council for Indian School Certificate Examinations in 1999 commemorates the late Anglo- Indian leader Henry Louis Vivian Derozio- a nationalist poet and teacher from West Bengal.

Our principal Prof. John K. Zachariah was one of the eminent four Institutional Heads who were conferred the Derozio award for outstanding contribution to education and excelling in leading the school. The award consisted of an engraved gold medal, a citation, a silver plaque, certificate and Rs. one lakh in cash.The accolades were given by the first citizen of the state, His Excellency Hansraj Bhardwaj whose excellent speech enthralled the audience.

He eulogized the contribution of Anglo- Indian and missionary institutions such as Bishop Cotton and The Doon School. “I often meet highly motivated and successful people from these schools” he stated. He also recalled the contribution of the Jesuit priest educationist Marshall D Moran and fond companion and fellow lawyer St. Francis Xavier and said “We have a powerful system of education inherited from missionary run schools.”

Mr. Bhardwaj implored the future citizens of the country to continue the good education system and to emancipate the marginalized society and escalate women education. “A country cannot progress if its women remain illiterate. If a woman is educated then the entire family inherits good values” he explained. He shared some of his anecdotes as an advocate and author and reminiscence as to how India’s and England’s law emulate with each other. He ended his address by expressing displeasure at the growing linguistic fanaticism and provincialism, which is resulting in rejection of English education in several regions of the country. Indeed it was a solemn ceremony that left our hearts filled with delight and complacency.

Founded in 1865 by Rev. St. Pettigrew, the school is 153 years young and going strong. It is considered by many discerning people to be one of India’s finest schools. Bishop Cotton Boys’ School believes that an educational institution is one where an individual is shaped for all time, where students learn how to work together and be a functional part of society.